Willie Mack’s AEW Status Reveals Contract Change Behind Booking Absence

Willie Mack’s lack of appearances in AEW has raised questions lately, and now a new update is shedding more light on what’s going on behind the scenes.

After Mack recently spoke out about not being booked, a new report from Fightful Select provided additional details about his current contract situation. The update suggests that his absence from AEW and ROH programming may be tied directly to a recent change in his deal. According to the update, Willie Mack is still under contract with AEW, but the terms of that deal are no longer the same as they were over the past couple of years.

“Willie Mack is still under AEW contract, but it's different than the contract he has been on in recent years. We're told that Willie Mack was on a ‘tier zero’ contract when he first joined AEW, which is basically a paid per appearance gig. However, he was moved to full-time the last two years, which is a salaried position.”

The report goes on to explain that Mack’s contract has now shifted back to that earlier structure, meaning he’s no longer on a guaranteed full-time salary.

“We're told that recently, Willie Mack was put back on a tier zero deal. We've not got context as to why that happened, but he's effectively on a per appearance deal.”

Despite the contract change, AEW sources reportedly remain in communication with Mack, although the exact nature of those talks hasn’t been clarified.

“It was claimed by AEW sources that they've been in contact with Willie Mack but the context of such isn't clear.”

One of the biggest takeaways from the update is just how little Mack has been used recently. He has not wrestled a single match for AEW or ROH so far this year, though he remains free to take independent bookings while under the per-appearance style agreement.

“Mack has had no AEW or ROH matches at all this year. He can still work indies.”

While the exact reason behind the contract change remains unclear, the shift back to a tier zero structure suggests his current role with the company may be more flexible than before.

Do you think Willie Mack should be featured more regularly in AEW and ROH, or does moving him back to a per-appearance deal make sense given the current roster? Share your thoughts and join the discussion.